How is cystic fibrosis diagnosed?
Find out more about cystic fibrosis (CF) diagnosis.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) can be diagnosed from antenatal testing, newborn screening, or during adulthood. As newborn screening is now carried out in all babies born in the UK, diagnosis of CF later in life is becoming less common. Carrier testing is another type of test used to find out if someone is a carrier of CF.
Get support with diagnosis
Our Helpline is available to anyone looking for information or support with any aspect of cystic fibrosis, a listening ear, or just to talk things through.
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How cystic fibrosis affects the body
Explore our interactive body to find out all about the different ways CF affects the body, from the lungs and digestive system to the bones and the reproductive system.
How is cystic fibrosis treated?
Find out more about medication, exercise, nutrition, transplant and transition on our treatment page.
What causes cystic fibrosis?
Find out about the faulty gene that causes cystic fibrosis, how it is passed from parents to children, and how to find out more about your genotype.
Here to help
If you’re struggling with any aspect of cystic fibrosis, we’re here to help. Contact our Helpline for support, a listening ear or just someone to talk to.
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Newborn blood spot screening
Nowadays, CF is usually diagnosed through newborn blood spot screening, which is also known as the heel prick test.
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The sweat test
The sweat test, which measures the amount of chloride in a sample of sweat, is used to help diagnose cystic fibrosis (CF).
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Information for carriers
People who have one CFTR mutation are called CF carriers. A carrier does not have CF, but if their partner is also a carrier there’s a chance that their children will inherit CF.
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CFSPID
Newborn screening, also known as the heel prick test, is offered to babies at five days old to test for several serious but rare conditions, including cystic fibrosis (CF). For some babies, a positive newborn screening result suggests that they might have CF, but follow-up tests do not confirm a diagnosis of CF. This is called ‘Cystic Fibrosis Screen Positive, Inconclusive Diagnosis’ (CFSPID).
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Late diagnosis
Nowadays, people tend to get diagnosed as babies, but some people might get diagnosed with CF later in life for a variety of reasons.
Page last reviewed: July 2024
Next review due: July 2027